Imagine

I believe if you have nothing to live for, you have nothing to die for. Purpose for living comes with a downside. A purpose creates reasons to protect it, kill for it, and die for it. The phrase “Kill or be killed” would be rendered useless by a life without meaning. I believe such hypocritical contrast between purpose and death should be cast out. This would create equilibrium of life and eliminate conflict between mankind.

The homo-sapiens is an interesting character. He is capable of studying himself and putting a man on the moon, but when it comes to harmony he falls short. He is a selfish and curious being striving to give the world order, but failing to see the impending disaster. Over time he concocted a swirling vortex of greed and lust. Society today promotes possessions to a point where I find it disgusting, for possessions only complicate our lives. To stop this vicious cycle of material belonging one needs to erase purpose.

This idea was introduced to me by John Lennon in his masterpiece “Imagine”. What captivated me most about the song was the suggestion of lack of possessions and religion. Religion is a gap between contrasting beliefs which are not easily overcome. Throwing possessions and desire into the mix only creates chasms of misunderstanding. These boundaries are in desperate need of a complete eradication to pave the way for a more unified people.

I was not blessed with the blind faith to believe in a god. To see suicide bombings light up the TV only goes to prove my point of the percussions of contrasting beliefs. It is all or nothing. Either everyone has different ideas and will continue to conflict with others, or we come together with the same belief. The yin will always have its yang unless neither exists.

World peace can only be achieved by an absence of meaning. This utopia, or dystopia, is the polar opposite of today. Due to the ignorance of man and the pride of overcoming obstacles I believe man will never give up his purpose. Just keep in mind that happiness comes with a price, a very high one.

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This week’s essay

Growing up in the former Yugoslavia, lawyer Djenita Pasic enjoyed the peace of her religiously diverse country. But after the fall of communism and the outbreak of the Bosnian War, Pasic was forced to reevaluate her ideas about religion and tolerance. Click here to read her essay.